K&L Gates Malpractice Suit Over Le-Nature's Scam Revived

Expert Analysis

• Trending Topic: Twitter's 'Innovator's Patent Agreement'

  

  Twitter's new “Innovator’s Patent Agreement” — a policy covering assignment of inventions by Twitter employees to Twitter — appears to be an attempt to square the open-source ethos of Silicon Valley developers with the reality that software patents are becoming increasingly valuable assets to their employers, says Andrew Liddell of Fulbright & Jaworski LLP.

• A Look At Recent Developments In Cybersecurity Policy

  

  As cybersecurity issues continue to garner headlines, more than half a dozen bills that attempt to address network security are pending in Congress, and lawmakers increasingly are singling out China as the most threatening state actor. Operators of “critical infrastructure” should be aware of their potential new legal obligations and privileges under the various bills, say attorneys with Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP.

• In-License Agreements With Nonprofits: 5 Considerations

  

  Many of the most profitable technologies being developed and commercialized by tech companies — particularly in the areas of life sciences and clean technology — were initially developed by nonprofit institutions. There are five often overlooked issues that should be considered by a company when negotiating an in-license agreement with nonprofits, say attorneys with Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo PC.

• 'Managing' LLC Liability Under Ore. Workers' Comp Law

  

  The Oregon Court of Appeals has held that the exclusive remedy provision of Oregon’s workers’ compensation law does not shield an employer limited liability company's managing member from a negligence claim by the LLC’s injured worker. But the court began its analysis by incorrectly framing the issue and ignoring the distinction between members of a member-managed LLC and members of a manager-managed LLC, says Doug Batey of Stoel Rives LLP.

• Iran, Sanctions And Oil — A Global Update

  

  Europe's July 1 oil embargo as well as U.S. and European financial sanctions prompted by Iran's nuclear program have seen Tehran's oil sales drop to most Western destinations, and drawn promises from some Asian buyers that they will cut purchases, says Nigel Kushner of Whale Rock Legal Ltd.

• Plea Agreements With Antitrust Division Post-VandeBrake

  

  If it is not an abuse of discretion for a trial judge to apply whichever sentencing guideline he prefers — as in the Eighth Circuit's decision in the VandeBrake case — then it becomes much more palatable for a defendant to roll the dice at trial rather than taking his chances that a judge will impose the sentence in a plea deal, say Brady Dugan and Diana Gillis of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP.

• The Big, Green Apple: NYC's New Zoning Amendment

  

  The New York City Council has approved a city-wide text amendment to the city's Zoning Resolution. The Zone Green amendment enables both existing and future buildings to take advantage of a multitude of energy saving and/or power generating improvements and is likely to catalyze more environmentally sound designs and energy efficient retrofits throughout New York City, say attorneys with Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP.

• Missing Link: Food, Drug Safety In Foreign Supply Chain

  

  The Institute of Medicine has issued a report entitled “Ensuring Safe Foods and Medical Products Through Stronger Regulatory Systems Abroad." Some of IOM’s goals, including the application of current food-tracing requirements to medicines, biologics and even medical devices, suggest that supply-chain tracing may be of increased importance over the next three to five years, says Amy Goerss of Hodgson Russ LLP.

• Unclaimed Property In M&A Deals: Unwelcome Surprises

  

  A target company’s historical compliance with unclaimed property laws is an important, but often overlooked, area for due diligence in M&A transactions. There are various ways for the buyer to control or limit its potential exposure, say Marc Musyl, Sarah Seedig and Jonathan Lessner of Greenberg Traurig LLP.

• Impacts Of New ADA Standards For Accessible Design

  

  The 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design are now in effect. These standards are viewed by many as very burdensome for real estate owners and developers, says Leigh Poltrock of Pepper Hamilton LLP.